While the top professional sailors in the world were gearing up for the first Act of the 34th America's Cup, Asia's best were in Phuket for the eighth Six Senses Phuket Raceweek. A four-day regatta off Phuket's East Coast, Six Senses Phuket Raceweek has become known for great sailing, professional on-water management and the best shoreside social scene bar none. The regatta was recently recognised as 'Best Asian Regatta Of The Year' at the 2011 Asia Boating Awards.

The 2011 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek kicked off the 2011/12 Asian Yachting Grand Prix circuit and with a new point system and broader range of boat participation, it proved to be an opportunity for boats to get a jump on their competition.

The regatta's consistent good winds brings sailors back year-after-year and word has spread, with participants coming from far and wide to take part. Double-Olympic gold-medal winner Shirley Robertson made an appearance in 2010 while this year the Regatta welcomed record-breaking round-the-world yachtswoman Dee Caffari who crewed on Six Senses Niña, and Paul Larsen, who with the Vestas SailRocket is attempting to set the ‘Outright World Speed Sailing Record’ and skippered DaVinci in the Regatta.

“This is my first time in Phuket, first time in Thailand and first time in Asia. And I'm loving it,” commented Dee Caffari.

“I'm loving the regatta, it's a really good atmosphere. It's great to see so many boats on the water. The sailors are happy, the resort is beautiful. We're getting in some great sailing and I’m enjoying the sight seeing as we sail around the islands.”

True to form, the 2011 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek served up a mixed bag of challenging conditions that would test the skills of any sailor worldwide. Wind, rain, storms, lumpy and flat seas, white caps and shifting winds, all ensured participants remained on their toes throughout.

The 'Grand Prix' IRC Racing Class proved to be competitive throughout the fleet. Local crews were joined by Jing Jing from Hong Kong, Team Premier – chartered by Neil Pryde – from Hong Kong, and the new Ker 40 in her first Asian Regatta, KukuKERchu, from Singapore. While Team Premier took the overall class win, the points disguised how close the racing really was, with Pryde winning by less than a minute on corrected time on a number of occasions, and five out of the eight-strong class scoring podium finishes during the series. In the end, Team Premier won IRC Racing from Jing Jing and Katsu, in second and third respectively.

In the IRC 2 class, the 1976 Sydney-Hobart race winner Piccolo showed no signs of her age, shaking off challenges from the rest of the class and winning five out of eight to be clear series class winner. A tough battle for second and third places saw team Royal Thai Navy 4 pip Team Sea Bees to second.

The boats in IRC 3 class enjoyed a variety of short and longer passage races, testing the crew work over six races. The podium places came down to the last race resulting in a tie-score for second with Linda winning on countback from Dreamtime in third. Overall class win went to Phuket sailing stalwart Jim Ellis skippering Remington.

The multihulls attended in number with 11 in total taking part, split into the one-design Firefly 850 Sport and Multihull Racing classes. In the Phuket-built Firefly class, the title went down to the last race of the series with Team Land and Houses taking a win and the overall series from Voodoo who put in their worst performance in the last race finishing fourth. Voodoo, however, managed to hold on to second overall from Twin Sharks in third.

Multihull Racing had amongst the fleet two sailing 'celebrities' – Dee Caffari on Six Senses Niña and Paul Larsen on DaVinci. Dee Caffari, famous for being the first woman to have sailed single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions, and the only woman to have sailed non-stop around the world three times, was learning the ropes on multihulls as her 'day job' is racing monohulls.
Said Dee Caffari, “I'll be doing the Fastnet this summer. I'll be doing the 600 mile race on a trimaran, so Phuket Raceweek on a catamaran for me is a good warm up.”

Overall Series results IRC Racing: Team Premier (15), Jing Jing (17), Katsu (17), KukuKERchu (22), Quantum Fusion M (36), Babe (37), Surf Patrol (50), Strongbow Baby Tonga (55). IRC 2: Piccolo (9), Royal Thai Navy 4 (17), Team Sea Bees (19), WDB Endeavour of Whitby (25), Ruby Tuesday (33), Tua Lek (39), Miss Salona II (47), Beaux Esprits (49). IRC 3: Remington (6), Linda (11), Dreamtime (11), Venture (19), Rambutan (25), Big A (31), Jhang Wah (33), Don't Think Twice (33), Little Eva (36). Multihull Racing: Sidewinder (9), DaVinci (12), Miss Saigon (18), Six Senses Nina (28), Shanghai Baby (31), Seekronghuk (42). Firefly 850 Sport: Team Land and Houses (11), Voodoo (13), Twin Sharks (17), Moto Inzi (25), The Frog (40). Classic Class: Idiom (3), Seraph (5).

A learning curve it was, with Six Senses Niña making the podium only once and finishing fourth in the series overall. Paul Larsen and his crew fared better with a second overall behind the impressive sailing of local boat Sidewinder, with Miss Saigon in third.

Six Senses Phuket Raceweek has actively supported classic yacht racing in the region and again this year attracted some stunning examples of a bygone era. At over 100 years old, Seraph, a former North Sea trawler and oldest boat in the38-strong fleet, put on her majestic best show on-the-water for participants and spectators alike, only to lose out after four races to another bygone beauty, Idiom.

Famed for its shoreside social scene, the exclusive Evason Phuket & Bon Island resort, part of the Six Senses group, provided the perfect host venue. Two mid-regatta afternoon parties proved popular après-race gatherings, and were complemented by the spectacular Mount Gay Rum Opening Party, an offsite party at the famous DaVinci restaurant and the Gala Closing Party which saw the finest and fittest dancing til the early hours of Monday morning.

Six Senses Phuket Raceweek turned on the glam on and off the water – professional on-water management, an onshore venue second-to-none, lavish parties, and challenging sailing conditions in some of the most scenic sailing grounds around, made for one of the best in the regatta's eight years and goes to further underline the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek’s position as 'Asia's Best Regatta'.

For more general information, photo gallery, regatta history and results visit www.phuketraceweek.com

Marketing support by Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd